


the language of change

by Damned_Writers



Series: the long road home [4]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Cardassia is rebuilding slowly, Cardassian gender concepts touched upon, Cardassians think she's really hot, Garak is In Control Of His Emotions (except really not), Kardasi is a little bit inspired by German, Kira and Garak are friends post-Dominion, Kira is a good diplomat kinda, Kira is constantly confused, Multi, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, and thinking... that's hot, canon-death mention, hearing your own language spoken to you with an accent, liberal switching off of the universal translator, mentions of Garak/Julian, she thinks Cardassians are awful (until she doesn't), this is also beginning the trend of Kira having a great love-life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22613029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Damned_Writers/pseuds/Damned_Writers
Summary: Updated to fit into my "the long road home," verse.When Kira - newly-appointed ambassador for Bajoran/Cardassian relations - arrives on Cardassia to see her old friend Garak, she's immediately pulled into another one of his schemes. Not everyone is as convinced of the plan as he is, so now Kira has to try not to yell, punch someone, or accidentally engage too hard in argumentative flirting.Discussions of past loves, potential partnerships, old friends, new friends - sometimes it's easier to communicate without the Universal Translator.Part four of the long road home: A series exploring the lives of Julian, Kira, and Garak after the end of the Dominion War. The fics can be read as one shots or together.
Relationships: Elim Garak & Kira Nerys, Kira Nerys/OFC/OC (pre-relationship)
Series: the long road home [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1744279
Comments: 16
Kudos: 37
Collections: The Babel Trek Open Project





	the language of change

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of thoughts about several things: One is this idea that Garak has a tendency to be at the lynchpoint for important political and social changes, but is never the face of them, two is Nana Visitor in the "what we left behind" documentary talking about how it would've been cool to explore a relationship between Kira and a Cardassian (just not Gul Dukat), and three, is how Garak and Kira in a very short space of time in the last few episodes really began to understand and even like one another. I think Kira and her relationship to Tekeny and then being in the Cardassian resistance meant that she couldn't do anything but feel for the Cardassians and want to help.

Year: 2377

_____________________

It was weird stepping onto Cardassia Prime like this, surrounded by bodyguards in broad daylight and with a procession surrounded by equally as mean looking guards coming to meet her. Ask her ten years ago if she'd be caught dead helping the Cardassians and the answer would have been a punch to the askers face, but here she was, post-Bajoran occupation, two years after the Dominion Wars had ravaged Cardassia in turn, one year after she had begun her surprisingly rewarding work of being in charge of public relations between the two people.

She wondered whose idea _that_ had been, but she didn't question it even if the uniform still didn't feel quite right. Peacetime was still difficult for her to adjust to, especially now that all of her colleagues on DS9 had spread across the quadrant and weren't readily available for late night insomniac discussions.

And Great Prophets Above, worse was that she _wanted_ to do this job. Sometime during her short stint as honourable-Cardassian-revolutionary-advisor she had come to feel - not just sympathetic, but invested in the future of Cardassia. Knowing that their occupation had ended in so many hundreds of millions dead and so much destroyed land, culture, history that they would still be trying to make up for it all a hundred years from now couldn't help but move her.

And then there was Garak.

Considering Garak a friend also sat oddly with her. Not because they had previously been on opposing sides, but because it now worked so naturally. In this last time since they had first begun to see eye-to-eye Kira had realised that he was easy to speak with, sincere (although he pretended not to be), hard working, caring... it was interesting to wonder whether Bashir had seen these traits from the get-go, or if he had been as surprised as she was. She'd have to ask him when she saw him again.

For now she would have to meet the line of diplomats, ambassadors, ministers, security officers, and various minor officials before meeting up with Garak. He was leading several different outreach programs and had been chosen on the basis of their friendship to act as tour guide once the official duties were over and done with.

Despite being flanked by several Bajoran ministers she felt out of place amongst the Cardassians, who remained proud and disdainful despite the resent cascade of misfortunes – or maybe because of them. One Cardassian in particular, a tall, haughty woman who had clearly seen plenty of battle introduced herself as: “Minister Zuret, board of distribution. Garak has informed me that you and I shall be discussing one of his more controversial offerings to the rebuilding of Cardassia.”

“This is the first I've heard about it,” said Kira, feeling herself get defensive, even as she shook her hand. She hated being caught out by by people like this, who clearly thought themselves better than any Bajoran.

“He will be introducing you to his... _idea..._ this afternoon and we'll discuss it tomorrow. He is under the impression that you'll be able to affect my decision on the matter.” Zuret looked her up and down. “I doubt it, but I relish the opportunity for you to try.”

Kira narrowed her eyes. This woman was _inviting_ an argument. She bit down on her tongue, reminding herself that she was an ambassador now and couldn't always yell at everyone who aggravated her. “I'll meet you on the battleground tomorrow then, Minister,” she said.

Zuret's eyes widened slightly in a look that Kira couldn't quite place, before she gave a curt nod and led her people away.

After this amazing start, Kira was already wishing for the moment when her visit would finally be over. Hopefully she wasn't going to return to Bajor with a new enemy and an assassination plot at her back, but at the moment she couldn't rule it out.

_________________________

“Ambassador!” said Garak with enthusiasm, drawing Kira in for a hug in his tiny living space and office. She remembered the house they had hidden in during the Cardassian Uprising, wondering if he ever compared his new accommodations to where he had grown up and hugged him back with gusto, giving a little headshake at the thought that she was embracing Garak of all people.

“Something the matter?” he asked as he let go.

“Not at all. It's just... we live in strange times, that's all.”

“Where enemies unexpectedly become friends, and friends... well, hopefully they remain friends,” he said, eyes twinkling knowingly.

“Exactly. Speaking of friends, I just met one of yours. Minister Zuret?”

He made a slight placating movement with his hands. “I know, I know. I heard she questioned you about my little plan. I _had_ hoped it would be a surprise, but I should have known better.”

“She didn't tell me any of the details.”

“No doubt hoping to inspire the worst ideas in your head before you'd even seen it,” he said. “In which case I'll delay the suspense no longer. I'm afraid it's quite a walk. Our transport network isn't entirely up and running at the moment.”

“I'm sure my bodyguards could do with some more fresh air,” she said and followed him outside.

They spoke amicably as they walked, about how the rebuilding was going on both of their planets, the popularity of the new Kai, the past. It took her some time to notice the way that people parted as they walked and the silence that fell around them.

“Ambassador Kira?”

“People keep staring at us. It's... weird.”

“My informants have relayed to me that apparently there are two rumours going around. The first is that we're planning to assassinate one another.”

“Of course. And the second.”

“That the two of us are planning a strategic bonding.”

“ _What?”_

“No need to be so defensive. I found it amusing personally. Not that a Bajoran and a Cardassian can't-”

“No, of course not,” said Kira quickly. “It's just, you and me-”

“- utterly fantastical, yes. Don't worry, I'm not about to proposition you. On that note how _is_ your love life going since Odo returned to the great link?”

“Ha ha,” she said tonelessly. “And now you're just prying.”

He raised his hands defensively. “You know what they say, once a spy...”

She laughed. “And you?”

He blinked and inclined his head to the side in a way that suggested to her that he was taking a moment to stall for time. “And me what?” he asked, all politeness.

“Anyone you're planning on _bonding_ with?”

He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. “That sort of thing is, shall we say, no longer on the table for me.”

“That makes two of us then,” she said, curious, but knowing better than to pursue the matter.

After a few seconds of loaded silence he said: “Also there is the fact that I am currently not the most popular Cardassian on the planet.”

“Why is that?”

“Ah, well, not every Cardassian thinks that Bajoran diplomatic relations are... worthy of our time. Despite the ruinous state of affairs, I'm afraid there are vestiges of misplaced pride yet to be unlearned.”

“ _Misplaced_ pride? Sounds very un-Cardassian of you Garak- I, uh, meant that as a compliment. Sorry.” She winced. Being diplomatic was _hard_ even when she wanted to get it right.

“No offence taken ambassador,” said Garak benignly, impenetrable as always.

“No, I mean it. We all have a lot to unlearn. It'll take time.”

Something like a genuine smile seemed to touch his lips then.

Suddenly a stranger stepped onto the street in front of them, forcing them to stop. “How can you walk down the street like that?” the stranger said, nodding to Kira. Her bodyguards moved forwards, but she waved them back, irritably. There was no danger here for the moment and armed personnel could change that if the crowd saw them as threatening. She wanted to at the very least avoid an incident whilst here.

“I'm sure I don't know what you mean,” said Garak, ever pleasant when faced with trouble. “My friend, _Ambassador_ Kira Nerys, and I are merely taking a leisurely walk as I show her the sights of our formerly lovely city.

“Traitor,” spat the stranger. “Legate Damar would've never-”

“I fought with Legate Damar during the Cardassian Rebellion,” interrupted Kira. “So did Garak. I'm curious, I didn't see you on the front lines.”

The stranger spluttered something, but stepped aside when Kira simply began to walk again. Garak followed after her, sending a polite handwave as he passed.

When they were far enough away from the disturbance, Kira raised an eyebrow. “I see what you mean. I didn't realise it was that bad.”

For a moment Garak's facade cracked minutely and his frustration bled through. “I wish I could make the people understand that working with other species would be for the best in considering the future of Cardassia. _Particularly_ the Bajorans, who after all experienced a similar decimation to ours only a few scant years earlier. But then we would have to start acknowledging that the state was wrong to turn us into an occupying force and we were wrong to support it. It's a... _difficult_ truth to carry when we're already carrying a burden of grief. But I believe it's absolutely necessary if we want to build something that lasts.” He looked forward as he spoke, uttering the words like a man who had had to justify himself often, but who truly believed what he said. Then he laughed, becoming a mask once again. “Ah, but if the work is hard that's what makes it worthwhile, isn't it. Not all of us can be as charismatic as the late Damar.”

“Unfortunately we can't,” agreed Kira. She wondered about her part in all this, but had a sense she would find out soon enough.

“Ah!” he exclaimed. “Here we are,” and she forgot all about their odd little conversation about love, Bajoran relations, and the stranger who had accosted them as they arrived at what looked like a warehouse in disrepair. The outside had several slogans splashed on it, rude expletives, words that emulated what the stranger had said. “This is what I wanted to show you,” said Garak. “A little project I've been trying to set up in your honour. It's... a work in progress,” he admitted with a little grimace, as he unlocked a side door and held it open for her.

The warehouse had been converted into a large school room. Some hundred adults and children sat around various tables, heads bent over work-PADDS. A few raised their heads when Garak and Kira entered, leading to a sudden susurrous of murmurs as news of their arrival was spread around the large, austere room.

At the far end hung a banner with the name of the school. It caused Kira a sudden barrage of emotions, which she tried to cover up quickly as an excited Cardassian walked up to them, tearing her gaze away and refusing to acknowledge it again.

The Cardassian shook Garak warmly by the hand, speaking to him in quick, excited Kardasi, constantly glancing over at Kira.

Kira frowned. Something seemed to be interfering with the UT and now as a so-called ambassador she wouldn't be able to communicate. She understood the words vaguely as a welcome, having picked up bits and pieces during the occupation that had been repurposed for a strange kind of Bajoran-Cardassian slang, but she had never taken the time to try to understand the actual nuances. At the time she had despised everything Cardassian too much to want to let any of its culture influence her and now she was paying the price of that anger in little annoying ways.

Garak turned to Kira and spoke in a slightly hissing, rolled Bajoran, surprising her. He had never let on before that he spoke any dialects of Bajoran. “Ambassador Kira Nerys, apologies. There is a great deal of disruption interferring with the translators in this area, which turns out to be somewhat ideal for this little meeting. Let me introduce you to Iloran. Iloran is running the Bajoran language classes here. Lhir'an has been a big help in setting up classes in various cities across Cardassia Prime.” The word _“Lhir'an”_ sounded like a Cardassian pronoun, something specific that the UT would have generically translated into something understandable and probably slightly incorrect.

Kira shook lhir'ans hand. Iloran was around her age and with a curious mix of the standard gender indicators that Kira had learnt to recognise – no make-up, but with elaborately done-up hair, somewhat more revealing clothes of the kind Garak sometimes wore, attractive in a way that Kira had sometimes noticed and discounted without trying to identify why when it came to some Cardassians, and with a wonderfully unguarded smile that Kira didn't see often amongst the people. “It's a pleasure to meet you,” said Kira.

“My pleasure,” lhir'an answered in a surprisingly confident Bajoran that strongly echoed Garak's accent. “I have not had chances to test the limits of my vocabulary with a native speaker.”

“It's... good,” said Kira. It was more than good. It was distractingly attractive. “And you're teaching Bajoran?”

“Yes ambassador. Elim finds me after occupation end. I am in a labour camp for not doing my..." lhir'an looked towards Garak," - gender? It means duty here." Garak nodded and Iloran continued: "For not doing my gender-duty correctly, reaching out to Bajoran resistance, speaking false dialects, learning Hebitian language... I am not sure why I survived, but...” lhir'an shrugged, “I am... _fortunate_ ," lhir'an tasted the word slowly, "... lucky... to see a time where the future for our two people is possible.”

“Is that what this is?” asked Kira. “I can see now why Zuret warned me. This would be considered as good as treason in the eyes of a large portion of the population.”

Iloran frowned, tensing a little at the terseness of Kira's response. “Many do. Schools burned, people attacked, arrested by self-decided _police_. But this is new Cardassia. If things are going to get better we have to change.”

Kira nodded towards the students in the space. They were a ragged bunch for the most part, the soft whispers of pronunciation punctuated by stillness as they continued to look up at her. “How do you get them to come?”

“Free lunches. Parents leave their children with us while they go to work. Some come because they believe in what we do.”

“As someone who grew up starving, lunch is the best incentive,” said Kira. “And do they? Learn?”

“Yes,” said Iloran. “Many of them are very fast at picking up words, phrases, idioms. How is it again: “the true believer is the one who continues to learn?””

“Where did you get the texts from?”

“I found ways, ambassador.”

Kira smiled. “Call me Nerys.”

Iloran dropped lhir'ans guard somewhat at the sight, and taken aback said in a soft, wondering voice: “... Nerys.” The name sounded very nice with that dialect.

“It's quite a project you two have got going here. And I'm guessing, I come in to convince Zuret and her ministers to climb onboard your ship?”

“That sums it up, yes,” said Garak, from where he had stood back to let the two of them meet one another.

“Tomorrow?” asked Kira.

“Tomorrow,” he confirmed.

Kira nodded. “Thank you for showing me.” She held out her hand for Iloran to shake and then, as a reflex added: “May you walk with the Prophets.”

Iloran replied in Kardasi, inclining lhir'ans head.

_________________________

“I don't understand something,” said Kira that evening over a private, meagre dinner with Garak she'd opted to have rather than the elaborate feast prepared for her elsewhere with the tiresome company of the other ministers.

“What don't you understand?” asked Garak.

“I understand... lhir'ans?” - Garak nodded, - “lhir'ans passion. And I understand that you want to create a Cardassia that's stronger than it was. But I don't understand... this. The two of you working together on this.”

“Why is that?”

“Iloran seems... idealistic. You were never an idealist. You've always been pragmatic, shadow and dagger, ruthless – I don't mean it badly,” she added quickly. “Just that I'm surprised at your sudden belief.”

“Maybe,” said Garak, giving no hint as to how he'd taken her latest onslaught of unintended insults beyond what she hoped was a semi-amused quirk of the lips. “But maybe I'm part of that old Cardassia. Suspicious. Untrusting. Maybe I've been meeting a lot of idealists these last few years and they've convinced me of something.”

“And what is that?”

“That I probably can't provoke change, but I can assist those who can. No different to my work in the Obsidian Order, or for the Federation, or for Damar, in the end.”

"But you were instrumental in setting up a democratic government. You supported Ghemor and Lang which was _vital_ to the swing in their favour."

"Yes, I did. But I am not a politician."

"You're a leader," said Kira, with that simple assuredness that Garak would probably never possess.

Garak smiled, inscrutably, and said: "Not everybody takes so well to being given the face of power as you have. Some of us prefer the power of being unnoticed. Relatively."

Kira shook his head at him. "And can't your powerful government friends help you?"

"If it hadn't been for them I would not have been able to open the schools in the first place. It's resources that matter now." He sighed. "The problem with democracy is that there are too many voices in the room. I have had to start locating those that matter more in too many different departments and sub-departments. Legal, medical, transportation, water sanitation, historical and cultural rehabilitation, the new spiritual equalities board, the Bajoran return fund, on and on... When it comes to distribution, international relations, power supply, all of the little things we need to keep going... the various boards will listen to Zuret."

"How come?"

"She is the mediator between the conservatives and the progressives. She appeals to both, which is why-"

"Which is why getting her onboard as a friend would be very helpful for this and any other plans you have in the future," finished Kira. "You're building quite the collection of powerful people around you."

"Quite." He seemed amused at something. "Reading between the lines, ambassador. That's a good skill to have for a politician."

"Please, like I'm a politician. I just know you. You've always got several schemes happening at once," she said.

"I work for the good of Cardassia," he replied, and she noticed he'd neither confirmed nor denied anything she'd said about his future plans. They would reveal themselves when he was ready for it she supposed. She'd just have to trust him.

"And those Federation Principles keep getting in the way of that?"

"On the contrary, I enjoy the challenge," he said. "And I met a man from my past who convinced me that they're worth paying attention to, if not always worth following."

She laughed softly, but after a few moments was drawn back to what she had for some reason been avoiding. “I noticed the name of the school,” she said, quietly.

“I thought you would.”

“Why did you name it that? Because of... did you love her?”

“No. Not like that. I felt more fatherly than anything, which she needed with Dukat as her other model. At least she had you,” he conceded.

Kira sighed. “For all the good it did her. So why the school of Tora Ziyal?”

“... I think often of Ziyal,” admitted Garak. “About why she thought she was in love with me. I think it was because we were both exiles.”

“How do you mean?”

“I, of course, an actual exile and she stuck between her Bajoran roots and Cardassian culture. There was never any space for her in either... I think she would have liked something like this once the dust had settled. And she was an idealist. She would have _thrived_ after the war if she'd survived.”

“She...” Kira fell silent, unable to say anything more. He was right. She would have loved this, the joining of her cultures. More than that though, the fact that Garak hadn't forgotten her, had at least in part done all of this for her...

“Apologies. I did not mean to upset you,” he said, placing a hand over hers.

She let out a tense breath of air she hadn't been aware she was holding. “No, it's just... you surprise me Garak. I can see how you managed to keep Julian's interest all these years.”

“What do you mean?”

She shrugged. “He was very naïve when he first came on the station, but his trust in you was well-chosen. You're a better person than you think.”

He looked around furtively, then gave her a little wink. “Don't say that too loudly.”

She smiled and they both sat silently for a bit, surprisingly comfortable in each others presence. They were both used to long hours of silence, after all.

It was Garak who spoke first, seemingly nonchalant: “How is doctor Bashir?”

Kira looked at him. “He's fine, I've heard. Haven't seen him in awhile, not since he left Deep Space Nine for his new commission. Something along the lines of changing the face of medicine, I believe?”

Garak smiled, something rare and fond in it. It didn't last long, but long enough for Kira to wonder if Julian had ever seen the way Garak looked when he thought about him.

“I wrote him a letter.”

“Oh?”

“It was... quite long,” said Garak, dropping his coolness and for once seeming as unsure of where he was going as Kira was. “I invited him to come here, but, at the time, he couldn't make it. Which is understandable, I wasn't really able to receive guests at the time anyway. When Cardassia has been rebuilt in a way I'd be proud of, I would like to... invite him here. To see it. To show him around.”

“... Oh,” said Kira again, suddenly understanding. “He'd probably like that,” she added quickly in order to fill the quiet space.

“Do you think?”

She'd never thought about it before, but now that she'd said it... their connection had always been a curious one to her, but now those pieces started slotting into place. Funny that Julian, incapable of keeping his emotions to himself, had been able to hide this for all these years. Maybe he'd been hiding it from himself too.

“You should teach him Kardasi,” she said. “That greeting, the one you had with Iloran, sounds like something he'd like to learn.”

Garak huffed lightly. “Thank you, but I don't think anyone outside of Cardassia wants to learn any of Kardasi's dialects at this moment in time, never mind one that was almost entirely wiped out. Or to have anything to do with us at all.”

Kira could tell he was a second away from changing the subject and they'd both have to pretend it had never happened. Before he did, she turned off her UT, indicating to Garak that he do the same. He tilted his head a little in confusion, but did as she suggested.“Teach me something in Kardasi,” she said once he had done so.

“What do you want to know?” he answered, and she found she really did enjoy the way Cardassian voices moved over Bajoran words. It echoed their own language, turning the Bajoran into something rolling and surprisingly soft considering the Cardassian reputation for harshness, where she had never even previously thought of what her Bajoran sounded like to her own ears before. When she spoke it, it was... higher in pitch. It had a chant-like quality to it. She wondered what her voice would do to Kardasi.

“The greeting that Iloran met you with. What was it?”

“Just something between friends.”

“Teach it to me. And maybe something more formal for tomorrow, with the minister. I want to catch her off-guard this time. Oh, and tomorrow – bring Iloran. If this is about the idealists taking control then we should let an idealist into the room.”

For a second she wondered if he'd refuse, if she'd somehow crossed a line she didn't know about. But then he smiled. “You surprise me too, ambassador Kira.”

And he began to teach her.

_________________________

The word was simple enough in her own tongue: Health. But then Kardasi had a tendency (she was now learning) to pile prefixes onto words on words onto suffixes and so it became a convoluted string of sounds that she could mainly remember through the positioning of her tongue. When she tried it with Garak on the day he paused for a few seconds before giving a little so-so handshake. She rolled her eyes at him, just as Iloran arrived.

“Do you not own a Universal Translator?” asked Kira, suddenly noticing the absence.

“Not many Cardassians do right now. I want to keep learning anyway. Not just Bajoran, but Klingon, Romulan, Vulcan, Breen, some Federation standard – I had no chance to look at local differences, but I am wanting to do that with Bajoran first. And of course document our own languages. One day-”

“- one day you'll learn every language in the galaxy?” finished Kira.

Iloran's eyes turned starry. “If only,” lhir'an said.

The doors opened and a surly-looking guard appeared, speaking in angry Kardasi and nodding to Iloran.

“He is saying “not that one,”” translated Iloran for her.

“What do you mean, not that one?” asked Kira before the others could voice their outrage.

“It's fine,” said Iloran quickly. “I will wait out here, you can tell me how it went.”

Kira opened her mouth to complain again, but Garak nodded in agreement. “It's better if we cause less trouble from the outset,” he said. “We shall try to keep it brief, my dear,” he said to Iloran as the doors closed again behind them.

They were led through a small room and made to wait again. Kira began tapping her foot in irritation. This wasn't the grand entrance she'd been hoping to make and the longer she was made to stand, the less _diplomatic_ she felt.

At last this door too was opened to allow them in. Zuret stood from her desk and walked around it to position herself against its edge, arms folded. She began to speak, fast and no doubt cutting Kardasi aimed at the two of them. For a moment Kira felt a surge of triumph that she couldn't understand a word and therefore couldn't be touched, before a quiet moment opened up between them and she said with as much pronunciation and disdain as she could muster: “ _Health.”_

Zuret's eyes widened in surprise.

Kira turned on her UT again. “It is good to see you again,” she said, with the kind of pleasant blankness that she knew would make Garak proud. “I believe we have a proposal to discuss.”

“... we do,” said Zuret, recovering. “I heard that you brought the teacher with you, Iloran. Does... lhir'an... have something to add to this that I do not already know?” The way she said "lhir'an" sounded like she wasn't used to the pronoun, but not dismissive of it either.

“She's the voice of it,” said Kira. “And she has passion, something that seems to be sorely missing in this new world of yours.”

Zuret smiled without humour. “Passion is in as short supply as everything else and not of as much interest. We do not see the need-”

“- oh please, we all know that _you're_ the leading voice on the council -” interjected Garak, but she held up a hand, silencing him.

“I wish to hear the ambassador speak. We do not see the need at this moment in time to begin an outreach of relations between our two species, when there is still so much work to do in food distribution, medical supplies, reunification of families, housing, recovery of historical artefacts ... I could go on. Seeking a friendship that carries no benefits isn't a priority at this time. But what do you think about the development of this project?”

Kira narrowed her eyes. “What about extending goodwill to the Bajoran people?”

“At this point we do not have the resources to extend goodwill towards anyone, nor does a majority of the people wish to spend this time being apologetic for grievances of the past.”

“The _past?_ You make it sound like ancient history, but I'd imagine you and I fought on opposing sides during the occupation-”

“- you misunderstand me,” she said. “I am not suggesting a lack of guilt, merely that the majority of Cardassians here and now are concerned with our grief and rebuilding our homeworlds, to whatever extent we can do so. Besides, you still have not answered. What do you think should be done?”

“I think...” said Kira and took a breath... “that if the Cardassians open their hand to us in friendship, it would be easier for me to convince us to do the same. I think healing is more than just burying bodies and rebuilding houses. It's about who is there to help pick you up when the time for recovery begins. Knowing you haven't been forgotten...” she trailed off. “We should be learning Kardasi,” she suddenly said.

Zuret inclined her head in that inquisitively lizard-like way Cardassians did when a situation had taken an unexpected turn. “Excuse me?”

“If I can convince the Bajoran people that we should be learning Kardasi in the spirit of friendship it could lead to further cultural exchanges, the Federation would be more inclined to further extend their help to the Cardassian people, we can... in small ways... begin to move forward. Together.” She didn't know where all this was coming from, but it made sense the more she spoke.

“And you believe you can convince your government, schools, parents, people, that this is a worthy endeavour?”

“I think I could convince some of them.” She glanced to Garak. “It'll never be everyone. There'll still be resentment and anger on both sides, but... little things. Maybe someone who's mixed Bajoran-Cardassian can in future find a home with both people.”

Zuret took a moment to study them, her face implacable. Then she said: “Bring in Iloran, the teacher. I will hear what lhir'ans passion has to say.”

_________________________

Iloran's part in the negotiations, whilst no less heated in tone between the four of them, appeared to solidify Zuret's commitment to pushing ahead and now began to turn to logistics: Formal legalisation, protection, space, funding, food provided, numbers expected, what promises Kira could make on behalf of the Bajoran government to uphold their side of this cultural exchange.

It was during this part of the discussion that Kira began to realise that Garak had set all this in motion, seeing some of the minutiae of his influence – from the first bud of the plan to getting Iloran involved, to the surprising request for Kira to act as ambassador, which she hadn't been able to get to the bottom of - she understood now that she had become a part of the political collection that she had accused him of gathering the night before - to getting her to the planet, to arousing Zuret's curiosity about her that had led them to this office where Garak on his own never could have gained entrance with the same amount of goodwill, and no doubt hundreds of other more illicit tasks and bribes and favours to get the schools up and running that she would never discover the nature of... as Iloran and Zuret argued she caught his gaze and saw that he knew that she knew.

As usual he had been working a long game from the shadows, not letting anyone in on the full puzzle – even her own outrage at Zuret's directness, which she now understood was not vanity or containing hidden meanings, had been necessarily made authentic by Garak not warning her beforehand about the project and Zuret's presence. She gave him a slight nod, which he returned. Neither of them would ever talk about this. It was safer that way if they wanted to succeed.

At the end Kira turned off her UT once more and said, slowly and clearly: “It was a joy that we met.” She winced at what she knew was a hideous mangling of grammar and pronunciation. One night of learning was not going to teach her much after all, but they both accepted the intent of the message with grace.

“May joy be created in future meetings,” finished Zuret. Kira quite enjoyed hearing her speak in Kardasi and actually understanding her.

Iloran answered in quick, elated Bajoran, letting her know the pleasure was entirely lhir'ans and lhir'an was excited to engage in discussion on ancient Bajoran, or perhaps they could exchange views in future on the development of Kardasi in comparison, once Kira had begun to learn in earnest.

Zuret stood patiently to let her finish, before saying in a Bajoran that was of equal stiltedness to Kira's Kardasi: “We give thanks to the... Prophets at your coming and wish to see you once more. You have a... lively tongue.” Kira wondered at what that last, Kardasi-sounding, phrase meant. She would have to ask Garak when she was further along her learning. He was standing a little behind them, looking from one to the other with increasingly wide eyes. Clearly he had seen something that Kira had missed.

Then both Zuret and Iloran raised their hands, one each turned towards Kira, and one touching the other, indicating that she should do the same. She raised both of hers and the three softly touched against one another in a circle.

Kira noticed out of the corner of her eye that Garak had withdrawn closer to the door and that his mouth was hanging open ever so slightly. She was missing something again, but she found that right now she didn't mind. This moment felt important and she liked the sensation of their warm, rough hands against hers. It made her think of things she wanted that she hadn't wanted for some time.

The three of them were, in some strange way, equally children who had suffered under the occupation until it had ended ten years ago and then continued to suffer after by all the ruins left behind. They were now, together, going to move past it. _Bonded,_ thought Kira, her mind returning to the conversation she had had with Garak the previous day. Well if the rumours had been bad then, they would definitely only get worse now...

They parted. Zuret said something in quick, sharp Kardasi to Iloran, who responded with a laugh and a retort of lhir'ans own. Kira glanced at Garak who now sported a completely blank expression, refusing to help her translate the rapid-fire bits of discussion happening before her. She had a sense that there was a playfulness to whatever argument the two were having in front of her, which she couldn't help but enjoy. It didn't even occur to her to turn her UT back on.

_________________________

He brought her back to the transporter on his own, barring the line of protection that kept a respectful distance. “You're being very quiet,” said Kira.

“Oh, it's nothing. I was merely ruminating on how well that went. It seems you've been underestimating your abilities as a diplomat.”

“Thank you Garak,” she said, still suspicious.

“And your charm,” he added, seemingly as an afterthought.

“My _charm?”_ she scoffed.

“Yes, I must say I hadn't expected you to have such an... effect on our esteemed hosts. And what was that you were saying about your love life being entirely over and done with?” said Garak innocently.

Kira rolled her eyes. “Don't start. I was just showing my appreciation for their hard work.”

“Oh, I'm sure they feel _very_ appreciated.”

“I am not going to be baited,” she said in mock outrage. “And by the way, since when do you speak Bajoran? Can't help but think it sounds like you've been fluent for a long time, it's practically perfect.”

“Thank you. I have made it a point to learn several languages over the years. Bajoran seemed useful considering my past work involved me-”

“- Tailoring for us?”

“Quite right. But you're changing the subject.” He was actually smirking. Kira allowed herself to punch him on the arm. “Ow,” he said. “Fine. But if you need any assistance in Cardassian partnership rituals or a nice suit, do let me know. I'd say you have the argumentative flirtation down, you just need to hone your,” he gestured vaguely,... “intentions.”

“Yes, _thank you_ Garak-”

“You know it's perfectly normal practise amongst Cardassians to have more than one partner. In fact, it's often expected-”

“Garak I swear-”

“- only trying to help Major. Oh. Slip of the tongue, apologies.”

Kira smiled. “Actually, I kind of miss being the Major.” She sighed. “I'm about to make myself a very unpopular ambassador. But part of the fun of government is you can't just shoot something to solve your problem, everything blurs from black and white into grey... suddenly the whole concept of heroes and villains gets so... tangled. No way you can come out of it and be liked, not even if you're trying your hardest to make it work.”

“But you and I don't do what we do in order to be liked. We do it for our people.”

She suddenly hugged him, hard. When she withdrew, she took a moment to formulate the words carefully and slowly over her tongue: “Joy to you Elim,” she said in Kardasi.

“Joy to you, Nerys,” he answered in Bajoran, bowing his head slightly, and once more allowing the briefness of a real smile onto his lips.

  
  
\---- The End -----

**Author's Note:**

> Seeing as I finished DS9 on Wednesday, watched What We Left Behind thursday, and started writing this Friday I have not had the time to fully get into the (no doubt fun) linguistics of Bajoran and Kardasi, so I muddled through a little.
> 
> I do like the idea of very simple words in other languages being very confusing in Kardasi and also (until some agreed-upon fanon/canon tells me differently) the idea that - like in German - Kardasi just piles words on top of words to create a new word. It feels to me like a very passionate language, so probably it has some flowery excess, but I also read that the country had banned religion some time ago, effectively making loyalty to the state "the religion" so things like referencing the Prophets must seem odd to a Cardassian. (Also this raises questions about underground belief-systems).
> 
> I also remember (and I cannot remember if this is show or something I read, need to rewatch again^^) that Cardassians don't believe in luck. If something good happens it's down to the attributes and skills of the people involved, so words like "luck" and "fortune" may not exist in the language?
> 
> EDIT: having now read A Stitch In Time I really want to write another chapter that talks about the spiritualism of Cardassia and specifically with Garak, because no way would Kira not dig that and want to get involved! Also Doctor Parmak needs to be in this!
> 
> EDIT EDIT: seeing as this is now a part of a longer verse, we'll see more of my OCs and introduce Kelas Parmak, Alon Ghemor, and reintroduce Natima Lang in future! I just love Cardassians a lot.


End file.
